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Communication is arguably the most important tool that allied health professionals use to connect with their patients. While it’s easy to remind yourself to remain professional at all times, there may be an occasion you slip-up and find yourself saying the wrong thing to a patient. Whether you’re confronted with a difficult personality or just having a bad day in the healthcare field, maintaining good communication can be just as important as the treatment you are providing.

Here are six phrases that allied health professionals should avoid saying to their patients:

“This won’t hurt a bit.”

The truth is, some medical treatments that allied health professionals perform can cause patients some degree of pain or discomfort. Telling a patient that the treatment you are about to perform “won’t hurt” – knowing that it will – is an outright lie. Healthcare is based on trust, and it is important to maintain that trust with your patients, especially if future visits are scheduled. Be honest and use the direct approach instead. Tell your patient that the treatment will cause some pain, but you will perform the action as quickly as possible and make every attempt to minimize the discomfort.

“Oops.”

For some individuals in the allied health field, it might be a natural reaction to blurt out “oops” after making a mistake. While it may be forgivable in front of colleagues, uttering this word in the presence of your patient is an absolute no-no. You might have indeed made a mistake, but ask yourself how you would feel if someone in charge of your health uttered “oops” during a treatment. A small benign mistake might be interpreted by the patient as something more serious and can cause unnecessary panic. On the other hand, if the mistake jeopardizes the patient’s health, it is your duty to inform the patient as professionally as possible.

“I know how you feel.”

Unless you are suffering from the same circumstances as your patient, chances are you do not know quite exactly how your patient is feeling. Healthcare professionals generally make verbal affirmations because they feel the need to console their patients, but if you haven’t developed a personal relationship with them yet, this approach can rub people the wrong way. It’s better to get to know your patients and gain their confidence before providing words of comfort. That way, patients will be more open to accepting your emotional support.

“We are just busy today."

Whether in a busy pharmacy or booming dentistry practice, a patient never wants to hear this phrase. Patients have their own schedules to keep, so this statement is usually met with irritability and resentment. Simply apologize for the delay and if possible and give patients an estimated amount of time for their wait.

“It’s nothing to worry about.”

Saying this to ease your patient’s fears may provide comfort, but if you do not know the extent of the patient’s alignment, it’s your duty to thoroughly diagnose a patient before making premature statements. Otherwise, you may lose the patient’s trust in the healthcare industry if they are later diagnosed with a more life-threatening underlying condition.

“I can’t find your chart.”

Though honesty is paramount in the healthcare industry, this phrase destroys the professionalism you have with your patients. There may be a valid reason – maybe the patient’s chart is not in the correct spot or it was simply misplaced by sheer forgetfulness. In any event, it makes the practice or institution that you work for look disorganized, and it taints the reputation of not only of the facility, but also the quality of care that you provide for your patients. The best thing that you can do in this situation is to find the chart as soon as possible.

Most of these comments will not have a profound impact on a person’s health, but they may leave patients feeling dissatisfied, worried, frightened, or alone. That’s why it’s important to be conscious of what you are communicating to your patients. Establish a good bedside (or “chairside” manner) through reassurance and comfort, but remember to preserve a patient’s trust in you by remaining professional and honest about their diagnosis.